Pooch Posted June 2, 2021 Report Share Posted June 2, 2021 Our cruise stops at St Thomas, St John and CocoCay. Beach day will be CocoCay obviously. I’m thinking Charlotte Amalie will be our shopping day (we love browsing shops)? What do we do at St John’s? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyC Posted June 3, 2021 Report Share Posted June 3, 2021 Hmmm St. John is right next to St. Thomas; usually it's an option for excursions when docking in St. Thomas. Do you mean Antigua? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooch Posted June 3, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2021 Yes that is the port. Seemed odd to me that we would have a full day at an island a short boat ride for St Thomas . Now what do we do there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooch Posted June 20, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2021 Any suggestions? I need something to plan!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill Posted June 28, 2021 Report Share Posted June 28, 2021 We were there last about 2 years ago on Freedom. Going back in October on Symphony. We did the excursion to Ffyres Beach which included lunch at the restaurant there and I think 2 drink coupons. If you do that, go early. Our group of 4 couples left mid-morning from the ship and by the time we got there, the only chairs available were second row. Valley Church Beach is a favorite of @Matt We were there twice in the mid 90’s on Monarch and both times did Jolly Roger Pirate Cruise (basically a drink fest). We were in our 20’s so ‘nuff said lol. There is a cute shopping area right at the port and we always get pizza and Pain Killers at Big Banana Holding Company Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooch Posted June 29, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2021 So it looks like every stop is a beach stop? I love a good beach but was hoping for something different in at least one port. Obviously Coco Cay is a big beach. Is there shopping in St Thomas? I mean local shopping not the high end jewelry/handbags/perfumes kind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConstantCruiser Posted June 29, 2021 Report Share Posted June 29, 2021 1 hour ago, Pooch said: Is there shopping in St Thomas? I mean local shopping not the high end jewelry/handbags/perfumes kind. Sure, but it's mostly the same duty free type shopping including jewelry/handbags/perfumes like other ports plus cameras and electronics and booze - the typical duty free stores. Lots of t-shirt stores too. What are you thinking when you say "local shopping?". Groceries are all brought in on barges so a bag of potato chips is 30% higher than the mainland but there are grocery stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshleyDillo Posted June 30, 2021 Report Share Posted June 30, 2021 1 hour ago, Pooch said: Is there shopping in St Thomas? I mean local shopping not the high end jewelry/handbags/perfumes kind. There's the typical cruise port style shopping area if that's what you mean. However, the Oasis ships do not dock at the Havensight pier which has a much bigger port shopping area. Oasis class ships dock in Crown Bay. There's a much smaller shopping area immediately at the Crown Bay pier, but it's really not much at all. You can catch a taxi to the shopping to Dronningens which is basically their main street where you'll find some local shops here and there but most of the typical tourist things like Harley Davidson..it's that kind of an area. If you go all the way over to Havensight there's more cruise port shopping but you can catch the sky ride to Paradise Point from where, which is kind of cool if you've never been before. It's a one-and-done most likely, but you will have an awesome view from the top of the bay and can order some yummy drinks and enjoy the scenery before taking the sky ride back down. It is going to run you likely $25 a person for the ride, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooch Posted June 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2021 Ok so shopping is out. Original cruise had Key West and Costa Maya for shopping/sightseeing & Cozumel & Grand Cayman for beach. Now it’s Coco Csy (beach) Antigua (beach) St Thomas (beach) WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshleyDillo Posted June 30, 2021 Report Share Posted June 30, 2021 1 hour ago, Pooch said: Ok so shopping is out. Original cruise had Key West and Costa Maya for shopping/sightseeing & Cozumel & Grand Cayman for beach. Now it’s Coco Csy (beach) Antigua (beach) St Thomas (beach) Yeah, we aren't a beach family at all but somehow keep going an Eastern Caribbean itinerary over and over again. A big strike for me with St. Thomas is they doesn't have typical taxi service there. They use open-air vehicles and the charge is per person based on where you are going which can add up. Then they sit and wait until a vehicle is full before they'll even leave. It's one of those ports that I would always recommend a group do an excursion or arrange private transportation just because of the cost. The first time I ever went we rented a Jeep and drove all over the island, which is more of my speed for an excursion over a beach or shopping. They drive on the other side of the road there, so that was quite thrilling at times. Otherwise, we may hop off there and walk around the immediate port area and then get right back on board and enjoy an empty ship. I've never done Antigua before, so that will be a new one for me that's showing up on some of my upcoming itineraries. It looks like a lot of the notable sights there are walkable from the port, so that's likely what I will do there at my first visit. It looks a little more enticing shopping-wise than St. Thomas too. 4ensic 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooch Posted June 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2021 Thanks Ashley, we switched from Western to Eastern when we did the lift & shift and I’m beginning to regret it. But we will be on Harmony so it’s all good. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPS Posted July 6, 2021 Report Share Posted July 6, 2021 I'm not sure how active of an excursion you want, but when we visited Antigua in 2019 we did the Stingray Swim & Snorkel and LOVED it! When else am I gonna get to hold a stingray? They were quite gentle and friendly. (The food that's given to them for coming there probably helps!) The water at the sand bar where the rays were was only about waist deep so it's not necessary to be a strong swimmer. Except for a couple attempts at trying to look under the water, I don't think I even used the mask and snorkel provided. Pooch, KenC and WAAAYTOOO 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
14Terry Posted July 13, 2021 Report Share Posted July 13, 2021 Another plug in for the Stingray Swim & Snorkel excursion! We had a great time on it! SPS and Pooch 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooch Posted July 14, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2021 That excursion is not listed in my cruise planner as yet. But I will keep my eye out for it. My husband & kids want to do the helmet diving in St Thomas but that’s not listed yet either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
14Terry Posted July 15, 2021 Report Share Posted July 15, 2021 We did book excursion this with RC in 2016, it was $72 a person. We thought it was well worth it. The helmet dive is on our bucket list ! WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill Posted July 17, 2021 Report Share Posted July 17, 2021 On 7/14/2021 at 1:46 PM, Pooch said: That excursion is not listed in my cruise planner as yet. But I will keep my eye out for it. My husband & kids want to do the helmet diving in St Thomas but that’s not listed yet either. Do you still have Antigua as a port? It was just replaced with St Maarten on my October Symphony and Antigua has been replaced on several other ships too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooch Posted July 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2021 Not that I’ve seen but thanks, I will keep an eye on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDaley Posted July 20, 2021 Report Share Posted July 20, 2021 We stopped in Antigua in August 2019 and did a Royal excursion that circumnavigated the whole island so you could see all of its "365 beaches" from the boat. At lunch they stopped on the southeast side of the island at a secluded beach for lunch and snorkeling. I believe in the cruise planner it was called Antigua by Sea? The lunch was great and of course the boat staff was fun and entertaining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooch Posted July 21, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2021 My daughter pointed out that she gets seasick on smaller boats so any boat excursions are out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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